Jean Nicolas Houchard

Jean Nicolas Houchard (24 January 1739-17 November 1793) was a General-in-Chief of the French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Biography
Jean Nicolas Houchard was born on 24 January 1739 in Forbach in the Kingdom of France. He joined the French Army and took part in the 1768 conquest of Corsica, defeating Pasquale Paoli's Corsican rebels while a Captain in a dragoon regiment. He had a deep sabre cut across the cheek anda shot in the mouth, disfiguring his face. On 11 April 1793, during the French Revolutionary Wars, he took over the Army of the Moselle and in August took over the Army of the North, defeating the British, Hanoverians, and Hessians at the Battle of Hondschoote on 6-8 September 1793. However, his failure to pursue the enemy led to a court accusing him of cowardice. He responded by tearing his shirt open and showing his many battle wounds, but the court had him guillotined on 17 November 1793.